Petition calls on CAA to sack EC Chair
An online petition is demanding the sacking of the Electoral Commission Chairperson Hendrik Gappy over incompetency.
A new online petition has been launched requesting that the Constitutional Appointments Authority (CAA) fires the Electoral Commission Chairperson Hendricks Gappy.
“The Petition is based on Chapter XV – Miscellaneous, of the Seychelles Constitution as provided by Article 165 - Removal of Certain Officers,” says the petition’s sponsor Bee Cesar.
This article applies to the Attor-ney-General, the Auditor-General, the Members of the Electoral Commission and the Ombudsman.
The issues the petitioners wish to bring to the attention of the CAA includes: the recent ruling of the Constitutional Court which acknowledged the illegal practices and noncompliance of Election Laws which happened on Gappy’s watch; the recent decision ordering an investigation in the Linyon Sanzman affair; issues surrounding Ile Perseverance residents voting twice in the same election; and Gappy’s failure to respect the Court’s ruling about Electronic Copy of the Voters Register.
The campaigners also cited the weekly protest against Gappy at the National Cultural Centre in Victoria by leaders and supporters of Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) caling on Gappy to resign.
They argue that the bias and incompetency displayed throughout Gappy’s work and decisions has damaged the EC’s independence and integrity.
Article 165 outlines the step that the CAA should take when considering the question of removing any officer to whom this article applies which includes an investigation led by a tribunal consisting of a President and not less than two other members all selected from among persons who hold or have held office as a Judge of a court.
“Given the above examples which clearly illustrate incompetence of the extreme tantamount to the inability to perform the function as the Chair of the EC, can Gappy be trusted with the forthcoming Elections?” asked the petitioner.
Source: LSH 8-12-16